Phoenix—Saul Morse, McMurry’s chief information officer, was named CIO of the Year by the Arizona Technology Council in the category of medium-sized companies. The award program recognizes chief information officers (or those in equivalent positions) for their innovation and creativity in planning and deploying enterprise systems, their vision and goals, their management philosophy, and their service to the industry and community.

“McMurry has grown 86 percent in the past three years, and that sort of growth in this day and age isn’t possible without extraordinary planning and leadership skills in the IT space,” says CEO Chris McMurry. “Saul has helped us integrate the acquisition of four companies since 2006 and was part of the inspiration that helped to propel McMurry headlong into the interactive agency market, where our firm now ranks No. 1 in the Phoenix area.”

“Saul is a unique IT leader because he extends his influence well beyond what most would consider the normal confines of the discipline,” adds COO/CFO Audra Taylor. “He has helped the company land new clients, for instance, he chaired the launch of our highly successful philanthropic arm called McMurry Charities, his team was ranked as the most service-oriented team in our company, and the list goes on and on for this well-rounded superstar.”    

Morse worked for Redspring Communications in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., which was acquired by McMurry in 2006. “I remember being told during the due diligence process that Saul was a real up-and-comer. He's fit that description and then some,” says McMurry. Shortly after the acquisition, Morse relocated his family to Phoenix to lead the company's multi-location information technology group.

“I was thrilled just to be nominated for the award, and to win is something I really didn’t expect since there were many excellent and equally deserving candidates,” says Morse. “Anyone who has been recognized like this knows that the honor results from the excellent of group of people around them, and my story is no different.”

About McMurry
McMurry (mcmurry.com), with three offices in Arizona and New York, offers a complete line of marketing communications services to a variety of clientele, including GlaxoSmithKline, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., Amtrak, CBS, Aon, CVS Caremark, Waste Management, 24 Hour Fitness and Thomson Reuters, as well as resources to more than 10,000 corporate professionals. The company has specialized practices in healthcare, finance and insurance. It is among the largest independent marketing communications companies in the U.S. and is recognized by the Great Place to Work Institute and Society for Human Resource Management as one of the top five “Best Small Companies to Work For” in the U.S.